"Before, the blind kept them at home."
- Although they are not from Hazparne (Lapurdi), the halt Étienne Arburua and the frivolous Cathy Arrotcarena have been living in Hazparne for over forty years and have been known for years. The two are blind and every Saturday they travel to Angelu (Lapurdi) to make a bicycle next to the Les Cyclopote association. In addition, they have highlighted that it is "very good", as it meets with friends and leaves the house.
Being young, Étienne Arburua and Cathy Arrotcara learned how to ride a bicycle; today, they move every week. “Of course, don’t forget,” Arrotcara said. Arrotcarena met Les Cyclopote twenty-four years ago thanks to a Baiona association. It's a cycling association that practices tandem. Arburua became part of the association twenty years ago, on the recommendation of Arrotcara. Tandemas are bicycles for two people: in front the driver – a person who sees – goes and behind the blind person. In the photographs, the president of the association, François Clavier, is in charge of directing the image.
The task of the driver is, as the name suggests, to guide, that is, to explain where they are, where they are going and what they see, and to mark the direction. “We’re told right and left, and we don’t do anything, we just keep going,” Rontcara said. He adds that, although “nothing is seen”, they know the environment there is: “We know whether it is fresh or not, we can feel that there is no sun, wind…”.
"We see friends, we tell what we have done throughout the week, what happens in the Basque Country…"
They're a big group, and every week, couples change to get to know each other. “Trust is needed with drivers. I’ve ever had that I don’t like the driver, but they’re very good,” says Arrotcara. “And the ones needed to get us out,” Arburua added. For Arrotcarena is a way out of the house: “Before, the blind kept them at home. Now they go out into the countryside, into the jungle.” However, the Arburua has stressed that there are also those who do not want or cannot leave the house: “Not everyone has a car to get out. The city is not close.” With the help of their family, they go to Angelu, where they make a return of about 50 kilometers.
Socialization tool
For Arburua it is “very good” to ride a bicycle every Saturday. However, he has not been able to do so for nearly two years, as he suffered from cancer and had to amputate his arm. They've adapted the bicycle to use with prosthetics, and recently it's back with the group. “I really took it; the drivers have helped me a lot.” In addition, he says he feels good at seeing his friends again.
That is why Arburua and Arrotcara are busy with the weekend. “We see friends, we tell what we have done throughout the week, what happens in Euskal Herria…”, said Arburua. During the whole week they talk to arrange the exit of the bike. In fact, it's important to make a list of participants and relate to couples. “We do it for pleasure,” Arrotcara stressed.
A PART OF THE BODY
De Arrotca: "Hands to work in the orchard and legs to do everything and pedal."
Arburua: - Hands. We do a lot of things with our hands: wash the body, eat… and legs for the bicycle.”
